Film transfer machine



1952 J. H. MCMAHON FILM TRANSFER MACHINE.

2 SHEETSSHEET 1 Filed April 24, 1950 Fig. 3

Joseph H. McMahon INVEN TOR.

V BY WWI/way 15m NOV. 11, 1952 J. c o 2,617,338

FILM TRANSFER MACHINE Filed April 24, 1950 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 56 a so 48 75 4 7a 3a 8 I22 36 I08 /04 26 6 B0 128 72 47 I /36 74 85 14 I46 x 84 A F/ .5

' Joseph H. McMahon INVENTOR.

L BY

' ME 6? Fig. 4

Patented Nov. 11, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

FILM TRANSFER MACHINE Joseph H. McMahon, Newark, N. J.

Application April 24, 1950, Serial N0. 157,720

9 Claims.

This invention comprises novel and useful improvements in a film transfer machine and more specifically pertains to photographic transfer machine or apparatus for exposing sensitized printing cylinders and especially sensitized cylinders employed for etching in photo-engraving processes.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a photographic transfer apparatus of an improved construction, ease of operation and ad justment, which shall be readily adjustable for handling various sizes of sensitized cylinders, and having improved means for insurin registry of the photographic transparency with the surface of the cylinder and for rotatin the same.

A further important object of the invention is to provide a photographic transfer machine in conformity with the preceding objects which shall have an improved manner and means for rotatably supporting a sensitized cylinder; for retaining the cylinder against rotation while attaching a photographic transparency thereto; and for maintaining the transparency in perfect registration with the cylinder during operation.

Yet another important object of the invention is to provide a photographic transfer machine in conformity with the foregoing objects having improved means for maintaining the photographic transparency in intimate and perfectly registered contact with the sensitized cylinder during all phases of operation of the same.

A still further important object of the invention is to provide a photographic transfer machine as set forth in the foregoing objects, which shall have a greatly improved manner of supporting and adjusting the developing source of illumination for the machine; which shall have an improved feeding and tensioning means for a pliable sheet maintaining the transparency upon the sensitized cylinder.

These, together with various ancillary features and objects of the invention, which will later become apparent as the following description proceeds, are attained by the present invention, a preferred embodiment of which has been illustrated, by Way of example only, in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side elevational view, parts being broken away, showing a suitable embodiment of a photographic transfer machine incorporating through the embodiment of Figures 1 and 2, the same being taken substantially upon theplane indicated by the section line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a vertical transverse sectional view through the embodimentof Figures 1 and'2, taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 4-4 of Figure 2 and Figure 5 is a fragmentary detail view, partly insection, of the scriber construction.

Referring now more specifically to the accompanying drawings, wherein like numerals designate similar parts throughout the various views, it will be seen that numeral l0 designates generally any suitable form of supporting frame by means of Which the various instrumentalitijes of this apparatus are mounted, Suitably secured to the supporting frame Iii, in any desired manner, the actual securing means. itself forming no part of the present invention, are. a pair of pare. allel, longitudinally extending guide rods 12 andi l, upon which are slidably received a, pair of supporting standards is. and [8. Each of these support standards issubstantially T-shaped in construction, the base of these standards being provided with suitable bores for slidably receiving the guide rods 52 and [4, whereby the standards may be moved or adjusted laterally 0f; the machine as set forth hereinafter. Intermediate their ends, these standards are provided with screw-threaded bores, or apertures 20 for engaging the reversely threaded portions: 22 and 24, see Figure 1, of an adjusting rod 26, which extends beyond one end of the supporting frame m and is provided with a manual adjusting means 28.

Suitably journaled upon the upper ends of each of the standards it and! 8, are a pair of supporting rollers 33, which may conveniently be mounted upon any suitable anti-friction bearings, not shown, these rollers being appropriately disposed to rotatably support upon their upper surfaces, the extending axles or pintles 32 which extend from the opposite ends of a conventional form of sensitized cylinder 3%. This cylinder may be of any suitable construction, the same being well known in the photo-engraving art and in itself forming no part of the present invention, it be ing understood that this cylinder is provided with a sensitized coating upon which the design of a photographic film or other photographic transparency is to be transferred or reproduced.

As will now be readily understood, the feed screw 25 may be adjusted by means of the crank 28 to cause the standards It and I8 to be laterally adjusted with respect to each other, in order to Easiness 3 properly accommodate different sizes of cylinders 34 thereon.

A scribing means is provided for making an index or reference line upon the surface of the sensitized cylinder 34 to assist in positioning a film, negative or other transparency upon the sensitized surface of the cylinder for transfer of the image thereto. This scribing means comprises a pair of supporting lugs 36 journaling a longitudinally extending rod 38 therebetween, see Figures 1 and 2, this rod having a longitudinal key 39 thereon slidably but non-rotatably receiving the hub of an arm 40, which arm, in turn, has a holder provided with a pivot pin 43 rotatably extending through the arm 40 and secured thereto by a fastener such as the nut 45, a thumb screw 41 serving to secure the holder 42 in rotationally adjusted position. A finger 44 constituting a scriber, and of any desired character, is slidably adjustable in a bore in the holder 42,.by a thumb screw 41. By means of the pivotal connection 43 and rotation of rod 38 in the support 36 and the members 4% and 44, the scribing device may be adjusted to different size cylinders, and an index or reference line may be readily drawn upon the sensitized surface of the same and parallel to the axis of the cylinder to constitute a guide for positioning the edge of a film or other photographic transparency thereon, it being intended that the edge of this transparency shall be retained upon the surface of the cylinder as by a piece of adhesive tape or the like, as shown at 46 in Figure l. The photographic transparency itself is indicated at 48, and is particularly illustrated in Figure l. The rod 38 is rotatably adjustable in the lugs 38, being locked in position by thumb screws.

In order to transfer the image from the transparency to the surface of a sensitized cylinder therebeneath, a source of illumination is provided, the same consisting of a longitudinally extending housing 50 having a fiat undersurface 52, in which is provided a longitudinally extending slot 54 adapted to emit a thin beam of light along the length of the sensitized cylinder. The axis of the housing 50 is disposed parallel to and above the longitudinal axis of the cylinder 34.

The source of illumination may be of any conventional design, preferably including an electric light of any desired character, the same being supplied with electric current in any desired manner. Since the construction of the source of illumination does not in itself form a part of the present invention, further description of the same is believed to be unnecessary. However, this source of illumination is counter-balanced and adjustably supported above the sensitized cylinder by an improved construction and arrangement which is to be now described. Suitable laterally extending lugs 56 on the housing 58 are connected by a cross member 6!, the latter having a counterweight 63 secured to its under surface pivotally attached as at 58 between the extremities of a U-shaped platform or carriage.

which consists of a pair of side members 60 having the aforesaid lugs 56 pivoted therebetween atone end, and being rigidly attached as by a base member 62 at the other end. One of the members 62 is provided with a bracket 65 comprising a stop engaging the members 56 to limit pivoting movement of the housing 50. In order to vertically adjust and support the platform or carriage, the frame I is provided with a plurality of laterally extending lugs 64, one of these lugs being provided adjacent but on opposite 4 sides of the transverse medial plane of the frame The two lugs 64 are provided with vertically disposed guide passages or bores for slidingly receiving guide rods 66 for vertical movement therein, these rods at their upper ends being extended through depending bushing 68 carried by the platform at the opposite ends of the base member 62 thereof. Likewise provided upon the framework IE), and preferably at substantially the medial transverse plane of the same, is a further lug "l0 having a vertically disposed bore receiving a tubular, internally threaded nut or sleeve which is provided with a laterally extending flange '12 at its upper extremity and which rests upon and rotates upon the upper surface of the lug 16. The lower end of this nut or sleeve extends through and beneath the lug l0, and is provided with a handle '14 by means of which the nut may be rotated. A vertical adjusting means for the platform is provided consisting of an externally threaded rod it having its lower end screw-threadedly received in the screwthreaded sleeve or bushing, and its upper extremity being screw-threadedly engaged with the midportion of the base member 62 of the platform.

By the foregoing arrangement it will be seen that upon rotation of the nut through the agency of the handle 14, the screw-threaded post '16 which is fixedly secured to the platform, will be vertically raised or lowered, carrying with it the housing 50 for the source of illumination. Thus, the distance of the light slot 54 above the sensitized surface can be very accurately and easily adjusted.

One of the chief problems encountered by those desiring to make photographic transfers from transparencies to a sensitized cylinder of this type is that of maintaining the transparency in perfect registry with the surface of the sensitized cylinder, during the rotation of the cylinder as the sensitized surface and the registering -trans parency of successively exposed to light source through the slot 54. This difficulty is overcome in the present invention by providing a transparent, flexible sheet of material such as a cellulose acetate material, this sheet being indicated at it. In order to expedite the application of the sheet to the sensitized cylinder, and its removal therefrom, and to facilitate storage and convenient access to the sheet, it is preferred to attach one end of the same to a roller which preferably is of substantially the same construction as that of well known forms of shade or curtain rollers, and which is provided with resilient means for yieldingly urging the roller in a direction to reel in and store the attached sheet. Conveniently, this roller may be detachably secured in suitable mounting brackets 82 carried by the frame It], and extending into the interior of the same and below and to one side of the guide rods 54 as will be readily apparent from Figures 3 and 4. The free end of the pliable sheet 18 has attached thereto a combined reinforcing or stiffening member and hand gripped element in the form of a plate 84 of any suitable material, the plate being detachably secured to the end of the fiexible sheet as by fastening means 86, and this plate being provided with a hand-hold opening 88 therein. By means of the plate which constitutes a handle or grip for the sheet, the same may be readily unreeled from the resilient, self-winding roller 80, from the normally stored position shown in Figure 3, to be entrained over the sensitized sheet and the photographic transparency attached thereto, and disposed as shown inFigure/l. When the photographic transferring operation is completed, the sheet is permitted to be woundup upon theroller 80 by theoperation of the customary spring, not shown, associated with such types of rollers,

The present invention comprises an improved means for effecting the rotation of thesensitized cylinder, and for maintaining the, transparent sheet I8 firmly upon the photographic transparency 48 while maintainingthe latter in proper registry with the sensitized surface of the cylinder 34. This means consists of any suitable source of power such as an electric motor or the like 90, which may be conveniently mounted within the supporting framework I upon any suitablesupporting platform 92, this motor being powered from any suitable electric source and controlled by any desired electric circuit and control switches, not shown. By means of the motor 80, and a driving belt 94 associated therewith, a pulley 95 attached to one extremity of a,

shaft 93 is operated. Fixedly secured to this shaft 98 is afeed roller I00, and a similar feed roller I02 is fixedly secured to a parallel shaft I04, the shafts SB and M4 being suitably journaled, as shown in Figure 2, in the opposite ends of the supporting frame I0. While the shaft 08 lspreferably fixedly journaled in the supporting frame, it is preferred to mount the shaft I04 in such a manner that the same may be adjusted laterally towards and from the shaft 98.

For this purpose, as will be best seen from Figure 2, there is provided a longitudinally extending supporting member I06 in the form of a beam or the like, the same having laterally extending supporting brackets I00 at its extremities, these brackets having journaled therebetween the ends of the shaft I04.

Preferably outwardly of the brackets I03, the supporting beam I00 is provided with laterally extending guide bushings IID which are slidably received upon laterally extending guide pins or rods I I2 carried by the supporting frame I0. By this-means, the feed roller I02 and its supporting carriage are slidably carried by the frame for movement towards and from the other feed roller I00. In order to impart the desired movement to the feed roller I02, the supporting beam I05 has fixedly secured thereto a laterally and outwardly extending shaft II4 which is slidably received in a bushing I I6 extending through the side wall of the supporting frame 50. At its outer extremity, the member I I4 is provided with a nut II8 screw-threadedly engaging the threaded extremity of the shaft H4, and abutting against the bushing IIG, for adjustably effecting lateral movement of the supporting'framework of this feed roller. Obviously, various desired means can be provided for accurately adjusting or positioning the two feed rollers with respect to each other, and for securing the movable roller in adjusted position.

In operation, it is contemplated that the feed rollers shall be separated in order to permit the insertion of the handle member 84 and the flexible sheet I8 between these rollers, when the flexible sheet is applied about the sensitized cylinder, or to remove this flexible sheet when the photograph transferring operation has been completed. When this sheet has been applied as shown in Figure 4, the feed rollers are clamped against each other to frictionally grip the flexible sheet therebetween. At this time, the motor 95 will be energized, causing rotation of the flexible roller I00 which, in turn, will roll the sheet in a counter-clockwise direction as viewed in Figure 4,

6 7 thereby, rotating the, sensitizedv cylinder, the registering photographic transparency-attached thereto, and the overlying transparent pliable;

sheet. At thesame time that the rotation of the sensitized cylinder is starting, the source of illumination is energized, so that the light will pass through the transparent sheet I8, through the photographic transparency 48, and will transfer'the image to the sensitized surface of the cylinder 34.

As above noted, thefeed rollers .will effect the rotation of the cylinder 34, and will draw'the transparent sheet I8 and the photographictransparency 48 beneath the light source. To some extent, the tensioning means in the roller will imparta tensioning to the sheet I8. it is preferred not to rely upon this to secure=the necessary tension to the pliable sheetby means. of which perfect registry of the photographic.

transparency with the sensitized cylinder is effected. provided to be now described.

These tensioning rolls comprise-a pair of shafts I20, which are suitably fixedly journaled for rotation in the end members of the supporting frame I0, and a parallel shaft I22 which is mounted for lateral sliding movement relative to the shaft I20. Each of these shafts has fixedly secured thereto a tensioning roller I24 and I26, which are adapted to frictionally grip or embrace the opposite sides of the transparent sheet, I8 therebetween.

The movable shaft I22 and its tensioning roller I20, are journaled and supported in thesame' manner as the movable feed roller shaft I04and its feed roll I02. For this purpose, there is provided a longitudinally extending support beamor the like I28 having adjacent its extremities supporting brackets I30 between which is journaled the shaft I22. Outwardly of the supporting brackets I30, the beam I20 is provided with transversely extending guide bushings I32 fixedly secured thereto, these bushings being guidingly and slidingly received upon laterally extending guide pins I34 carried by the frame I0. The adjustment of the movable support beam I28 is similar to that of the previously described supporting beam I06, being effected by the provision of a laterally extending rod. I36 which has a splined or keyed surface engaged in and sliding in but secured against rotation relative toa fixed bushing I36 attached to the frame I0. Extending through this bushing, the outer-extremity of the shaft I36 is provided with an adjusting nut I40 of any desired character, whereby the longitudinal support beam I28 may be positively advanced towards or withdrawn from the feed roller I24, and locked in adjusted position. At one or both ends of the shaft I20, there is provided a pair of brake drums I42 which are frictionally engaged by a brake band I44 in the form of a strip of friction material, such as leather or the like. This band, in the form of a sling, is attached to one end of a screw-threaded bolt I46 received in a turnbuckle I40, which likewise engages the oppositely threaded extremity of a fastening bolt I50 suitably rigidly attached to the supporting frame I0. Obviously, by tightenin the turnbuckles I48, the tension of the sling I44 upon the brake drum I42 may be regulated so that any desired tension or drag may bear;- plied to oppose the relative rotation of the tensioning rolls, and therefore any desired resistance or tensioning effect may be applied to the opposite portion of the transparent sheet 18.

However,

Instead, a pair of tensioning rollsare.

In operation, the movable tensioning roller is moved away from the fixed tensioning roller in order to permit the handle portion 84 and the transparent sheet 18 to be inserted therebetween or withdrawn therefrom as desired.

In order to facilitate the application of the photographic transparencies in registry with the sensitized cylinder 34, and to hold the sensitized cylinder and the attached transparency in a stationary manner as the flexible transparent sheet 18 is being applied, a locking means is provided. This locking means may conveniently comprise a mounting bracket or the like I52 carried by each of the supports 16 and I8, and having an adjusting screw I54 adapted to frictionally engage the surface of one of the supporting rollers 30. As will be evident, by adjustin the screw I54 to cause the same to engage the roller 30, rotation of the latter is prevented, and consequently rotation of the sensitized cylinder 34 resting upon the supporting rolls will likewise be prevented. Thus, the sensitized cylinder will be held stationary in order to apply or remove the photographic transparency and in order to apply or remove the transparent sheet.

From the foregoing, the construction and operation of the device will now be readily understood and further explanation is believed to be unnecessary. However, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art after a consideration of the foregoing specification and accompanying drawings, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction shown and described, but all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the appended claims.

Having described the invention, what is claimed as new is: I

1. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means carried by said frame for rotatably supporting a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over said cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, 2. pair of tensioning rolls rotatably mounted upon said frame and frictionally clamping the portion of said sheet disposed between said cylinder and roller therebetween, brake means operatively connected with one of said tensioning rolls and opposing rotation thereof, and means engaging the end of said sheet remote from said roller for moving said sheet across said cylinder and rotating the latter.

2. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means carried by said frame for rotatably supporting a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet havin an intermediate portion thereof disposed over said cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of tensioning rolls rotatably mounted upon said frame and frictionally clamping the portion of said sheet disposed between said cylinder and roller therebetween, means for mounting one of said rolls for sliding movement towards and from the other roll, means to adjust and secure in adjusted position said one roll relative to the s other roll, and means engaging the end of said sheet remote from said roller for moving said sheet across said cylinder and rotating the latter.

3. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means carried by said frame for rotatably supporting a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over said cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of tensioning rolls rotatably mounted upon said frame and frictionally clamping the portion of said sheet disposed between said cylinder and roller therebetween, means for mounting one of said rolls for sliding movement towards and from the other roll, means to adjust and secure in adjusted position said one roll relative to the other roll, said mounting means including a carriage, guide means connecting said carriage to said frame, and means engaging the end of said sheet remote from said roller for moving said sheet across said cylinder and rotating the latter.

4. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means carried by said frame for rotatably supporting a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over said cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of tensioning rolls rotatably mounted upon said frame and frictionally clamping the portion of said sheet disposed between said cylinder and roller therebetween, brake means operatively connected with one of said tensioning rolls and opposing rotation thereof, means for mounting one of said rolls for sliding movement towards and from the other roll, means to adjust and secure in adjusted position said one roll relative to the other roll, said mounting means including a carriage, guide means connectin said carriage to said frame, and means engaging the end of said sheet remote from said roller for moving said sheet across said cylinder and rotating the latter.

5. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means on said frame for rotatably supporting the ends of a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over the sensitized cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of feed rolls, means for journaling said feed rolls for rotation upon opposite sides of the other end portion of said sheet for frictionally gripping the same, means for causing rotation of one of said feed rolls to rotate said sensitized cylinder.

6. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means on said frame for rotatably supporting the ends of a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over the sensitized cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounting on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of feed rolls, means for journaling said feed rolls for rotation upon opposite sides of the other end portion of said sheet for frictionally gripping the same, means for causing rotation of one of said feed rolls, means for adjustably moving one of said feed rolls relative to the other.

7. In a photographic transfer machine, a sup porting frame, means on said frame for rotatably supporting the ends of a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over the sensitized cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of feed rolls, means for journaling said feed rolls for rotation upon opposite sides of the other end portion of said sheet for frictionally gripping the same, means for causing rotation of one of said feed rolls, means comprising a carriage for rotatably supporting said one feed roll.

8. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means on said frame for rotatably supporting the ends of a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet having an intermediate portion thereof disposed over the sensitized cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of feed rolls, means for journaling said feed rolls for rotation upon opposite sides of the other end portion of said sheet for frictionally gripping the same, means for causing rotation of one of said feed rolls, means for adjustably moving one of said feed rolls relative to 10 the other, means comprising a carriage for rotatably supporting said one feed roll.

9. In a photographic transfer machine, a supporting frame, means on said frame for rotatably supporting the ends of a sensitized cylinder, a transparent sheet havin an intermediate portion thereof disposed over the sensitized cylinder for holding a photographic transparency upon said sensitized cylinder and for rotating said cylinder in response to movement of said sheet, a self-winding roller mounted on said frame, said sheet having one end thereof secured to said roller, a pair of tensioning rolls rotatably mounted upon said frame and frictionally clamping the portion of said sheet between said cylinder and said roller therebetween, brake means operatively connected with one of said tensioning rolls and opposing rotation thereof, a pair of feed rolls, means for journaling said feed rolls for rotation upon opposite sides of the end portion of said sheet remote from said roller for frictionally gripping the same, means for causing rotation of one of said feed rolls.

JOSEPH H. MCMAHON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,143,984 Huggins Jan. 17, 1939 2,223,341 Ernst et a1 Dec. 3, 1940 2,335,189 Mayer Nov. 23, 1943 2,338,877 Stead Jan. 11, 1944 2,383,785 Foster Aug. 28, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 682,948 Germany Oct. 26-, 1939 

